Ion storm
An ion storm (also called an ionic storm or ionic front) is a type of magnetic storm which contains ionically charged particles, traveling at thousands of kilometers an hour. Both planetary and spaceborne ion disturbances can intensify to the point where navigation is dangerous, and transporter use all but impossible. At higher levels ion storms can damage or destroy spacecraft. In 2129, an ion storm overloaded the plasma conduits on a Kantare supply ship, causing it to crash-land on an unidentified planet. ( ) An ion storm was on a course between Enterprise and a planet with a nitrogen sulfide atmosphere in 2151, but Captain Archer elected to weather it rather than change course. ( ) In 2154, Phlox likened placing Enterprise's crew into protective comas to shutting down the ship's main computer to protect it from an ion storm. ( ) Ion storms are prevalent in the Denorios belt and have been since at least the 22nd century. In the Bajoran year 9174, Akorem Laan's lightship was caught in an ion storm there and was severely damaged. ( ) The Kalandra star system has many ion storms. In 2375, Captain Benjamin Sisko and General Martok expressed their concerns the storms would reveal the Federation Alliance starships to the Dominion. ( ) The Panora system also has constant ion storms. ( ) In the 23rd century, starships were equipped with an ion pod, allowing the starships to acquire data in conditions that defeated their conventional sensor platforms. Starships traversing ion storms were buffeted by the storms "weather" effects and subjected to tremendous hull pressures and stress. Starfleet used the measurement of a storm's relative effect on the ship as a supplementary data point to judge the intensity of an ion storm, and hazards it posed. Minor but noticeable "natural vibrations" were labeled Force-2 on an incremental scale. Above Force-7, the starship was at increased risk and subject to the captain's call for red alert status. ( ) The quasar-like electromagnetic phenomenon Murasaki 312 ionized an entire sector, including four solar systems in 2267. ( ) Later that year, an ion storm near the Halkan homeworld resulted in a power surge in the ''Enterprise'''s transporter, causing momentary interdimensional contact with a parallel universe. Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy, Commander Scott, and Lieutenant Uhura, who were beaming up to the Enterprise at the time, materialized in the other universe, transposing with their counterparts from that universe, who experienced an identical accident at the same time. Later, after reviewing the events which led up to the accident, the Enterprise crewmembers were able to recreate the power surge using energy tapped from the ship's engines, and return to their own universe. ( ) The surface of Mab-Bu VI was ravaged by ionic cyclones and electromagnetic storms. ( ) In the early 2350s, an ion storm struck an area on Invernia II. Richard and Julian Bashir sought shelter from it. ( ) In late-2371, when the was preparing to enter the Bajoran Wormhole against orders from Admiral Toddman, the Admiral contacted them and repeated his orders to not enter the Gamma Quadrant. Captain Benjamin Sisko and Major Kira Nerys pretended that his transmission was being garbled by an ion storm, and proceeded anyway. ( ) In 2374, Morn faked his death in an ion storm. His cargo ship was supposedly caught in one. ( ) Ionic storms above level 8 are a threat to ''Intrepid''-class starships. The encountered level 7 and level 8 storms in the Delta Quadrant in 2375. ( ) A Borg sphere was heavily damaged by an ion storm in 2375. As a result, it was chosen by the Voyager crew to be the target of a raid to steal a transwarp coil. ( ) Not long after, Chakotay asked Janeway whether the turbulence of chaotic space was an ion storm. ( ) A Druoda series 5 long-range tactical armor unit was capable of flying through an ion storm and still reaching its eventual target. ( ) Late in 2375, Janeway told Rudolph Ransom that ion storms were one of the problems Voyager had had to face over the past five years in the Delta Quadrant. ( ) Later that year, Neelix claimed that he "always enjoyed a good ion storm" on Talax. ( ) In 2379, Captain Picard used a nearby ion storm as an excuse to take the shuttle Argo to the surface of Kolarus III in search of positronic net signals. ( ) Additional references * External link * de:Ionensturm nl:Ionen storm Category:Astronomical phenomena